Friends Forever: Part 1
by angelkittysmith
Summary: My childhood friends Sarah, James, Henri, and I reflect back on our long-lasting friendship throughout the years and discuss ways to look out for each other, including community safety, finding work, and giving gifts to others. NOTE: I do NOT own Liberty's Kids.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: A Picnic in Highland Park

One mild first Saturday of September 2019, my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri met me at my mom's apartment in Highland Park. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "What would you like to do today?" "I don't know, can we eat dinner outside today?" I asked. "It's so beautiful." "I was thinking that maybe we could go walking around the reservoir and then eat dinner there," James suggested. "Yum," Henri happily stated. "Why don't I go to the Bryant Street Market and purchase some snacks for us to eat?" I asked my friends. "Mom gave me money for food." I ordered myself a cobb salad with potatoes, Sarah ordered the Pilgrim sandwich, James ordered the Yinzer sandwich, and Henri ordered a slice of pepperoni pizza. We also bought treats such as chips, cookies, pretzels, and candy. "Isn't this a beautiful evening?" I asked. "Yes, Angel," Sarah agreed with me. "It is." "This kind of makes me a little bit sad," James admitted. "Me too," Henri agreed. "Why do you say that?" I asked. "Because summer is over now, Angel," James told me. "The summer flew by really fast now, didn't it?" "Yes, it did, and it was a fun summer for all of us," I stated. "You know the old saying, 'time flies when you're having fun'." "We have now had so many fun years growing up together, and I can't believe that I will be turning 30 years old in a few months," Sarah stated. "I wish that I could just turn back time to 2002 and be 12 years old again." "And I could be 10 years old, and James could be 14 years old, and Henri could be 8 years old!" "Now, our parents are living in Gettysburg," James stated, "and this is our first year in 13 years not living in the city of Pittsburgh." "Wow, we are all growing up fast," Henri stated. We walked around the Highland Park reservoir. "It was at your parents' wedding at the Natrona Heights Presbyterian Church that we all met each other for the first time," I remembered. "The 17 years since then really came and went." "I'm really hungry," Henri whined. "Can we sit down and eat now?" "Okay," I agreed. "Does everybody prefer casual food or banquet food?" "Banquet food," Henri replied. "Huh?" I asked. "We thought that you would say casual food." "Your salad looks really yummy, Angel," Henri stated. "Can I have some?" "Sure, I can pass some around for everybody," I offered, passing the salad around. "And, spaghetti sauce is the exact same sauce on pizza," Henri stated, taking a bite of his pizza. "This is a lot of fun," James admitted. "I kind of don't want to volunteer for the Moser-Mifflin girls' slumber parties anymore this year, since we didn't do too many outings this summer." "Me too," Sarah agreed. "It was nice to volunteer, but can't we do something different in the remaining months of this year?" Henri was gobbling down his dinner. "This is really good food, Angel," Henri stated. "Does the Bryant Street Market do catering?" "I don't think so, Henri," I replied. "Besides, I remembered that you didn't like the food at first." James cleared his throat. "As I was saying, I would like to do an outing around the Pittsburgh area once a month. It's not fair that the summer is already over." "Well, it's still summer until the last week of September," Sarah pointed out. "Okay, guys," I stated. "I will talk to Jenna and see what she has to say about all of this." "Okay, Angel," Sarah agreed. "Let us know what she says next weekend." Pretty soon, it was time for my friends to leave. "Thanks for a great evening, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Being Aware of our Surroundings

The second Saturday in September 2019 was warm when my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri met me at my mom's apartment in Highland Park. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "So, what did Jenna have to say about volunteering?" James asked. "She said that she's not going to need our help for any more of the slumber parties this year, however, I still think that we should hold off on outings until next summer. Sorry!" "That's okay," James admitted. "There's always next summer." I made lightened bacon cheeseburgers, a dip with healthy snacks, and poured some juice to drink for dinner. "I am still a little bit fearful of taking the bus to your new apartment," I stated. "Why is that, Angel?" Sarah asked. "Because not many buses go through Forest Hills on the weekends, and I have to end up walking or taking the bus through Wilkinsburg, which is not a very safe neighborhood," I explained. "Which leads us to a very important discussion topic today about safety and being aware of our surroundings!" I paused for a moment. "What should I do about that?" I asked. "For one thing, I need to be well rested, hydrated, and fed. Henri, do you know why this is important for awareness?" "It gives you more energy and you are not distracted as much," Henri replied. "I would try meditating not in the moment, but as a practice, since it helps reduce anxiety, increase concentration, lengthen attention span, and be more aware in general," Sarah replied. "It has always been one of my special and unique techniques." "I disconnect from my phone," James replied. "Why do you do that, James?" I asked. "Because it's not always safe to be on your phone when you are walking and especially when you are crossing the street," James explained. "Like, if I am on my phone listening to music trying to cross Ardmore Boulevard, it would be very bad because I would get hurt or killed!" "This is one of the main reasons why I am afraid to cross the street," I explained. "I always need somebody to help me out because of this, and not everybody here in Pittsburgh is a safe driver." "That doesn't mean that you can't use your phone at all," James pointed out. "You can use your phone when you are out and about, but only for important reasons." "I am not predictable," Henri stated. "If I have to, I switch up my routines by taking a different route home, leaving a little earlier or later, and shopping on a different day or at a different store." "I take the environment I am in, such as the baseball game at James's high school that we went to as teenagers," Sarah explained. "I would scan the environment, look in a window when walking to see who is behind me, who is around, where the exits are, and if there are any immediate risks, like when one person in the bleachers was asking me to lend him money to buy a snack for him, and I did not want to do that if he was taking advantage of me." "I take the people around me into consideration, such as the unseasonably hot early spring day when we sold lemonade, such as how many people are around, what they are wearing, what they are doing, and if any of their behavior causes concern, like I saw several customers rocking back and forth on their feet or drumming their fingers on the table as we sold the lemonade, which perceived me to think that there were a whole bunch of impatient customers," James explained. "If I were a customer getting lemonade, I would certainly be anxious and impatient because it is so hot outside and I am so thirsty," Henri explained. "I couldn't wait to eat Chinese food that night because it was a nice change of pace from our usual cooking." "Henri, I know that you are always obsessed with food," James stated. "But, it's still a good idea to order take-out when it is super hot because sometimes, the power can go out." "Speaking of summer, what happened to the great start to fall that we had like last weekend?" Sarah asked. "Like you said, technically, it is still summer until the last week of September, and I love summer weather," James stated. "But, it is officially meteorological fall, _and_ it is after Labor Day, too," Sarah argued. "So?" James asked. "So it is almost fall," Sarah explained. "Once it gets cooler, it should stay cooler!" "Oh, here we go again," I stated. "You guys know that I am enjoying the warm fall weather that is just like my 8th grade year, Sarah's 10th grade year, James's 12th grade year, and Henri's 6th grade year." "Come to think of it, my senior year was my favorite year in high school, and it was one of the most memorable," James remembered. "I am talking about September 2005, guys," I told everyone. "It was pretty much a no-brainer that this September was going to be like 2005!" Then, we did some activities to keep us aware of our surroundings, such as some videos during the baseball game and the lemonade sale from our childhood, and also observing the kitchen and bedroom in the apartment by walking and scanning the 2 rooms for 30 seconds. "Today, we saw the Greater Pittsburgh Concert Band perform a sensory-friendly concert," Sarah told me. "There is safety involved with those kinds of concerts, too." "I would go with a friend or sibling if possible to these concerts," Henri stated. "I feel safe when I am with Sarah and James." "I have to make sure I know the address and how I will get there," James stated, "which is why I always have the GPS handy whenever I am going places, especially to new places." "I have to make sure someone I know and trust knows where I am going by finding a friend's app," Sarah stated. "I would make sure my phone is charged," Henri chimed in. "I would walk in well lit, public areas," James pointed out. "I would definitely get my own food and drinks," Sarah added. "I would not go somewhere with someone I barely know," Henri stated. "I would not overshare personal information, such as my home address or my social security number, since people could take advantage of me," James stated. "I would definitely trust my instincts, meaning that I would know what is right and what is not right before I jumped in to do something," Sarah stated. "Okay," I agreed. "Now, let's see if this professional concert band had a Facebook page, and you wanted to follow the band on Facebook. What would you do?" "I would use private settings on my social media page," James pointed out. "I only share my opinions about the band on Facebook, but not tell them where I am going or what I am doing at the time, since it is not safe, and people could easily know where I am at the time," Sarah pointed out. "I make sure that I have a passcode on my phone so people cannot steal my personal information," Henri chimed in. "I would also use a strong, unique, non-identifying password for logins online," James added. "It would obviously not be my full name or real name." "I would not agree to meet someone I have met online, except for if they have been my friend for a long time," Henri added. "I would not send money online, and I would also look out for scams," Sarah added. "I was wondering what you guys were dressed up for today," I stated. "That reminds me. I got a new job as a production processor at Goodwill in Cheswick." "Oh, congratulations!" Sarah added. "Would you like us to accompany you to work and help you out, just like you did a couple times with us at Creative Citizens Studio?" "Sure," I replied. "I could use some help getting accustomed to my new job." Pretty soon, my cat, Mattie came in the room and rubbed against me. She rubbed against Sarah, too. "Are you still being nice to Mattie?" Sarah asked me. "Of course I am," I replied. "Mattie is like a sacred and religious flower to me." "Did you see our cats yet, Angel?" James asked me. "I saw Silky, but not Buttercup," I replied. Pretty soon, it was time for my friends to leave. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: A Walk Around Forest Hills

One hot third Saturday of September 2019, my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri took me to their home neighborhood of Forest Hills for a walk around the borough. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Do you guys remember Drew's Family Restaurant?" James asked. "Of course," I replied. "I was thinking that we could get some breakfast there," James suggested. "That sounds like a great idea, and then we can see what else there is in Forest Hills, like a Goodwill or something," I requested. "Speaking of Goodwill, when do you start your new job in Cheswick, Angel?" Sarah asked me. "October 4," I replied. "Do you know what is special about the neighborhood of Cheswick?" "No, what?" James asked. "Your 16th birthday celebration, remember?" I asked. "Oh, yeah," James remembered. "That was where I got my new car at the car dealer and then ate dinner at Pizza Hut just down the road." We then ordered our breakfasts. I ordered a Western omelette, Sarah ordered 2 scrambled eggs and 2 slices of bacon, James ordered a stack of pancakes with three bacon strips, and Henri ordered a malted Belgian waffle a la mode. We were aware of our waitress greeting us and asking us how we were doing with our meals. After breakfast, we went to a nearby Goodwill store on Forest Hills. "Mmm, my breakfast was yummy," Henri stated, licking his lips. "Will we find more snacks at Goodwill?" "Will you stop thinking about food so much, Henri?" James asked. "It's still hot outside," Sarah moaned. "I wore my capri pants thinking that it was going to be cooler outside. I should have worn shorts." "I knew it was going to turn hotter this weekend," James stated. "Is it ever going to turn cooler?" Sarah asked. "Yes, but you may have to wait a while, Sarah," I reassured my best friend. "I am enjoying the continuation of warm weather into the fall, coming off the heels of one very hot summer." "Does anybody know any other safety tips in the neighborhood?" James asked. "Always wear light-colored clothes in the summer when it is super hot outside," Henri replied. "Wow, Henri, that's very good," James replied. "I forgot about that." "We definitely should not wear all black clothes when it is super hot outside, unless we go to an all-black environment," Sarah pointed out. "The day we wore all black to school, it was actually much colder than this." "Well, I don't see you guys wearing all black today," I pointed out. We looked around Goodwill for some neat things. "I shop at thrift stores rather than regular stores to save money," Sarah told me. "For example, I bought these brown sandals at Goodwill last year, along with the pink off-the-shoulder blouse and blue jean skirt." "I remember you wore that right when you bought it, and also when we went to the Three Rivers Arts Festival this summer," I stated. "Do you think you will wear that outfit at least once before the warm weather ends?" "Maybe," Sarah replied. "I have also bought a lot of my sundresses here." Later that day, Sarah, James, and Henri met me at my mom's apartment in Highland Park to discuss my work schedule going forward and their plans to help me out, as well as the best times to have our discussion groups. We also ate some fried fish that James bought for takeout from Drew's. I seemed like I was prepared with our discussion. Pretty soon, it was time for my friends to leave. "Thanks for a great day, guys!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Job Searching

The last Saturday of September 2019 was hot when I met my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their new apartment in Forest Hills. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. James baked us brownies for a snack and beer for a beverage. "So, this is it, guys," I told my friends. "This is my last free Saturday before I transfer to the Goodwill store in Cheswick to work." "Congratulations, Angel!" James congratulated me. "Yeah," Henri agreed. "Looking for a job is not always easy," James pointed out. "It is sort of like looking for your first girlfriend, because they both involve finding the perfect fit!" "Sort of like how Betsy was your perfect fit at the high school dance back in 10th grade," I pointed out. "Precisely," James agreed. "We also found the perfect job at Creative Citizens Studio last year," Sarah pointed out. "I would appreciate it if you guys were there for me, like how I was there for you last year at Creative Citizens Studio and even at the ice cream intern this summer," I stated. "Sure," Sarah agreed. "We can do that." "Now, how did you guys find this job?" I asked. "I worked with a job coach," Henri replied. "Other friends referred me to this job," Sarah replied. "I went to the job site, as well as other sites, as well as some other job posting websites, including indeed, monster, linkedin, and school career sites," James replied. "Okay," I agreed. "Now, what are some important things when looking for a job?" "Pay, full-time or part-time, and your schedule," James replied. "Benefits such as health insurance, paid vacation time, 401k, the nature of the work you are doing, and the environment," Henri chimed in. "Dress code, if you are qualified, location, and future goals," Sarah added. "That reminds me how Nathan would have a hard time finding a job since he cheated off of my history exam and got detention as a result." "I have to give all of you credit for finding the perfect job, unlike your boyfriends and girlfriends, and other people I know, such as our peers." Silky rubbed up against me. "Who's a good Silky?" I asked. "And, a good Buttercup," I stated as Buttercup rubbed against me, too. "It seems like based on all of your special interests, you could have so many different jobs besides just working at Creative Citizens Studio," I told my friends. "Like what?" Sarah asked. "You could work with cats, you could work cooking real food instead of drawing it, and you guys also love listening to different kinds of music," I reminded my friends. "So, we can type in MSG Academy at indeed." We used indeed to search up opening positions for music instructor assistants, including what field and where field, near Forest Hills, where they lived. Their best bet was Turtle Creek rather than Freeport or McCandless, since that was rather close by. We narrowed our search with sorting by date or relevance, distance, salary estimate, job type, location, company, and experience level before reviewing the job description to see if it matched the things we were looking for in a job as well as our experience level. "Even though it is not open yet, you may want to consider working in MSG Academy in Turtle Creek rather than Freeport or McCandless," I suggested to my friends. We also reviewed when the job was posted, where the job was located, if it was full-time or part-time, what hours we would be expected to work, how much the job paid, if there were benefits, what education requirements there were, what skills we needed to complete this job, responsibilities on the job, and our other "non-negotiables". Then, we looked at an ice cream shop opening for Millie's Homemade Ice Cream, picking out the qualities that we discussed as important when we look for jobs. The surprising thing about Millie's Homemade Ice Cream was that there was one close by in Regent Square, and no education was required. The only steps we needed were basic cooking and scooping services, as well as customer service. We would have to compromise on our schedule and our payroll in order to work on that field. "Now, what are some strengths a candidate would need to obtain or keep the positions we looked at?" I then asked. "I would say that you need commitment and a good attitude. Anything else important?" "You need to be flexible and responsible," James replied. "You need to be helpful and meet the requirements," Henri chimed in. "You also need to be a team player and be respectful," Sarah added. "I would also love for you to help me with my new job at Goodwill in Cheswick starting next weekend," I stated. "Maybe, if you have experience with music, you could get a job at MSG Academy, or even help out with serving ice cream at Millie's Homemade Ice Cream. The possibilities are endless!" Pretty soon, it was time for me to leave. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Applications, Resumes, and Cover Letters

One cool first Saturday of October 2019, my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri took me out to dinner at El Campesino, a Mexican restaurant, in Monroeville after my shift at Goodwill in Cheswick ended. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. We looked at advertisements for a new company in Monroeville entitled Pittsburgh's Perfect Parties, opening in 2020. "We all have very unique jobs," I told my friends. "But, sometimes we just want to move on based on convenience." "I know, Angel," James stated. "Working at Creative Citizens Studio is a lot of fun, though." "What about a job like you had volunteering for the Moser-Mifflin girls' monthly slumber parties?" I asked. "That is what Pittsburgh's Perfect Parties will be like." "Oooh, that sounds like fun!" Henri remarked. "As long as there are not any wild parties involved, like Molly's Sweet 16 party," Sarah remarked. "My parents would not let me throw a birthday party like that." "That reminds me," James stated. "Since Halloween is coming up, what is the next slumber party following the September Bookworm Blast?" "The Pumpkin Palooza, and Samantha is hosting it," I replied. "My favorite Halloween memory was handing out candy to younger kids," Henri remembered. "You were Samantha's age back then," I told Henri. "And Sarah, you were Hannah's age when we snuck out into Molly's birthday party." "I hope Hannah doesn't get invited to a high school birthday party while she is still in middle school," Sarah stated. "I don't think she will," I replied, "but she is hosting the Forest Friends Fest next month- in November." "That was the same month that Molly's birthday party was in," James remembered. "If you guys are interested in getting this upcoming job, you just have to do one thing- fill out an application," I stated. We then picked up some paper applications so we could apply for the job. "We should also submit a resume and/or cover letter if the job requires it, as well as give three professional references," Sarah reminded me. "That's right, Sarah," I stated. "I forgot about that." All of the applications generally had questions related to demographics, like name, age, birthday, gender, and social security number, current position questions, education level, past work and volunteer experience, and 3 professional references. "Resumes are also important because they are a guide that employers use to determine if you have the qualifications they are looking for," I reminded my friends. "Resumes are working documents, in which you want to highlight things that employers are looking for and be aware of your formatting," I continued, "while cover letters would be a more expanded way to highlight why you would be a good fit for the position." After we paid our checks for dinner, Sarah, James, and Henri drove me back home to my mom's apartment in Highland Park. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Interview Prep and Common Interview Questions

One cool second Saturday of October 2019, my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri took me out to dinner at Chili's near the Pittsburgh Mills Mall in Tarentum after my shift at Goodwill in Cheswick ended. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "We are all very nervous today," James told me. "Why is that, James?" I asked. "Because the 3 of us have an interview next Friday at Hampton Inn and Suites in Monroeville for Pittsburgh's Perfect Parties," James explained to me. "I heard that Sybil, my old girlfriend from high school, may be applying for this job, too, and we all know how that relationship turned out for both of us back in high school. I heard that Sybil was the life of the party, as well. I also hope that all of the female interviewers like me, because if not, then they won't hire me. Oh god, am I starting to sweat?" "Okay, James," I told my male friend. "Slow down. I know that tone of voice. That was the exact same tone of voice that was used on School Picture Day back in high school for you guys." "Yeah?" James asked nervously. "But then, I helped you get through it, and then everything turned out okay," I explained. "I sure wish that this interview was not happening next Friday," James nervously stated. "What if we don't get the job?" "Well, I think that you guys need some preparation for the big day," I pointed out. "Before the interview, you need to research the company, like their website, social media, and glassdoor, to find out what is new with the organization and how they got started, review the job posting to help you come up with ways in which your experience meets their needs, go over potential interview questions and do a mock interview with family and friends if possible, make sure to do laundry like khaki pants and a polo, or a nice pair of pants and top or dress like you are wearing, Sarah, and nothing low cut or too short, and that everything is free of wrinkles and smells good, prepare questions to ask your interviewer, find out where the interview will take place, and plan for how you will get there and what time you need to leave, and print off copies of your resume and references." "Thanks for pointing out my outfit, Angel," Sarah told me. "It is rapidly getting cooler out, and this may be one of the last times I am able to wear a cute summer outfit like this." "I have always loved the dress on you, as well as the sandals," I told my female friend. "Although, in my opinion, the mini strawberry sweater looks better and more professional over the outfit than the denim jacket does." "Well, I am still glad that you still have good taste in my outfits," Sarah told me. "Thank you." I continued to give tips for the interview. "The day of the interview, you need to take a shower, put on deodorant, brush your teeth and comb your hair, grab a notebook, pencil or pen, and resume and references, get there 15 minutes early, and review your responses and questions." "I guess being overactively nervous is not on the list, huh?" James asked. "No, James, and neither is sweating," I pointed out. "If you're not relaxed and are constantly sweating, then they will definitely not hire you for the position." "No, they will not," James stated. "What should we do during the interview, Angel?" Henri asked. "I am glad you asked that, Henri," I replied. "During the interview, you should shake their hand, say hi and introduce yourself, sit up straight and smile, hand them your resume, refer to notes infrequently, talk at a normal pace and use eye contact, come up with clear and concise responses lasting one or two minutes and ask questions, and finally, thank them for their time and their consideration." "Those are all very good tips, Angel," James told me, "but I know something that is very important to do after the interview." "What is that, James?" Sarah asked. "You should send them a thank you e-mail after you get home that thanks them for their time and lets them know you look forward to hearing from them," James told us. "That is a very important thing to do, James," I agreed. "Now, let's move on to common interview questions." I paused for a moment. "I know all about the STAR method, involving "Tell me about a time..." questions," I informed my friends. "First, you need to describe the situation that you were in or the task that needed to be accomplished and be specific and give enough detail so that the interviewer understands. The situation could be from a previous job, volunteer experience, school, or another relevant environment. Then, you need to describe the action that you took and be sure to keep the focus on you. Even if you are discussing a group project or effort, talk about what you did, not the efforts of the entire team, and finally describe the result like what happened, how the event ended, what you accomplished, and what you learned. Hey, let's practice a few together!" I asked Sarah to tell me about a time that she experienced conflict at school or work and how she handled it, and she decided to talk about the time that she was dealing with boys that made her uncomfortable at school and she handled the situation by not paying attention to how the boys behaved. I asked James to tell me about a time that he worked in a team, and he decided to talk about working in a team with his younger brother by helping set up decorations for the Moser-Mifflin girls' monthly slumber parties and how the decorations made the party rooms look beautiful. I asked Henri why he wanted to work for Pittsburgh's Perfect Parties, and he stated that he always loved having parties as a kid and wanted to see what it was like to help throw other children's and adults' parties, and stated his experience with volunteering for the Moser-Mifflin girls' monthly slumber parties. After we paid our checks for dinner, Sarah, James, and Henri drove me back to my mom's apartment in Highland Park. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Interviews and Anxiety at Work

The third Friday in October 2019 was cool when I drove up with my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri to their job interviews at Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Monroeville right after my shift at Goodwill in Cheswick ended. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Are you ready for your job interviews today?" I asked my friends. "We sure are, Angel," James replied. "Same here," Henri replied. "I am very excited about potentially getting the position, but I also heard that Carly and Alex are thinking about getting the position, too," Sarah explained. "I am sure that you will still do a great job, Sarah," I encouraged my best friend. "Thanks, Angel," Sarah replied. "You're welcome," I replied. As soon as Carly and Alex were getting done with their interviews, Ms. Ellis, the manager of Pittsburgh's Perfect Parties, called us in for our interview. Sarah, James, and Henri were asked the same questions that we prepared for the previous week. Of course, Sarah was asked about a time she dealt with conflict and how she handled it. Sarah went all the way back to her middle school days when one of her boyfriends, John Paul was going to see an R-rated movie, and he wanted to take Sarah along on her date. "When I am in a bad situation, I can easily stand up for myself and see what is bad about the situation," Sarah explained. "That is one of the best things about me is that I can tell if other coworkers or clients are doing something wrong, and I immediately report it!" "Very good, Sarah," Ms. Ellis praised. James also described the time that he and Henri worked in a team to work situations out, such as playing their own game of football in the backyard when they couldn't get tickets to a football game. "My younger brother, Henri already feels like a teammate to me," James stated. "At the Moser-Mifflin girls' slumber parties in Point Breeze, we helped out by arranging the decorations for 8 of their slumber parties from January through August. So, you can rely on our teamwork to get any kind of important task done." Henri was also asked why he wanted to work for the company. "I loved throwing parties from when I was a kid until now, and I am a good event planner," Henri explained. "Like James just said, we make a great team, and you can always count on us to get the job done efficiently and promptly!" After the job interviews were done, Sarah, James, Henri, and I headed to McDonald's in Monroeville for dinner. "Other than Samantha's Pumpkin Palooza in Point Breeze tomorrow night," I explained, "there are 5 other slumber parties going on in the community tomorrow night, such as Lily Gourley's Indoor Campout Party in Squirrel Hill, Maisie Orwell's Pajama Party in Edgewood, Naomi Allport's Night at the Spa Party in Swissvale, Priyanka Shalom's Unicorn Wonderland in Churchill, and Rachel Luster's Star-Studded Sleepover Party in Monroeville." "Whoa, whoa, who are all of those people?" Sarah asked. "Those are the peers that Samantha and her friends met this week in the other 4th grade class," I explained. "Now, I am starting to get anxious about this job already!" "Don't be," I stated. "Anxiety is something that we can all easily deal with." "What do you mean?" James asked. "Well, you need 5 major techniques to manage anxiety at work: know your triggers, have go-to grounding techniques, create conditions for success, ask for what you need, and set micro-goals," I explained. "Let's pretend that you were to help with one or more of these parties. Knowing your triggers means paying attention to situations that spike your anxiety, such as a meeting with the Gourley family on how you are supposed to help Lily with the party is where you can bring a notebook to jot down questions that you may have for Lily's parents or older siblings. Go-to grounding techniques are important because these are ways to help you stay in the present moment, like if you were to help with that Pajama Party, you could remind yourself of who you are now. Creating conditions for success is important to your well-being because if you were helping out with the Spa Slumber Party, you could schedule a real spa appointment to take your mind off of all of the stress. Asking for what you want improves your mental health, like if you were to bake a treat like cupcakes at the Unicorn Wonderland Party, you could ask for a clear copy of the recipe to help you follow instructions better. Setting micro-goals is important because it could help you overwhelm your anxiety, such as getting to know Rachel at the Star-Studded Sleepover by asking her what her favorite movies are and who her favorite movie stars are." "Thanks, Angel," Sarah told me. "We all feel so much better now." After our discussion group and dinner at McDonald's, we drove back to Sarah, James, and Henri's apartment in Forest Hills and went to bed. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Good night, guys!" "Good night!"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Getting the Job

The last Friday in October 2019 was chilly when I met Sarah, James, and Henri at Outback Steakhouse in Monroeville after bowling with the middle Mifflin daughter, Hannah and her 7th and 8th grade friends at Zone 28 in Harmarville. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "You are very excited about something," I stated. "Well, we are going to find out from Ms. Ellis whether we got the job or not," James told me. "But, we need your help with just one thing." "What's that?" I asked. "Why don't you tell Ms. Ellis what we have been learning about the past few weeks?" Sarah asked. "Our young friend, Angel, is very smart and has been giving us good advice about transitioning to a new job." "Well, it all started at the end of last month when Sarah, James, and Henri were thinking about looking for another job that sparked their special interests besides just working at Creative Citizens Studio. We visited indeed for several suggestions and key words, like music, ice cream, or anything sparking their special interests. Then, after the first Saturday at my new job at Goodwill in Cheswick, we went to El Campesino in Monroeville for dinner and we discovered Pittsburgh's Perfect Parties through advertisements. So, I got them applications, resumes, and cover letters, and we learned the basics of filling all 3 of these documents out. The following week, we prepared for their job interview by giving some basic tips and some practice interview questions. This all lead up to their job interviews last Friday." I paused for a moment. "So, what do you have to say about that, Ms. Ellis?" I asked. "I think that you are such a great teacher to Sarah, James, and Henri, Angel," Ms. Ellis praised me. "Well, Sarah, James, and Henri have taught me a lot of interesting stuff growing up, too," I stated. "I have known Sarah, James, and Henri for a long time, and we have remained very close friends since then." "It's always nice to have friends to count on for good advice at work," Ms. Ellis stated. "So, did we get the job?" Henri asked. "I am very happy to announce that because of your young friend's enthusiasm and support, you are officially hired to work at Pittsburgh's Perfect Parties in Monroeville!" Ms. Ellis happily announced. "Yes!" we all happily exclaimed. "You will start on Monday, November 4, right after Halloween, and your first party will be a junior Christmas party at Sampson Family YMCA in Plum," Ms. Ellis continued. "This is such a joyous occasion," Sarah stated. "I feel so exuberant." "This is just as exuberant as your 15th birthday party when we celebrated with cake and presents," I pointed out. "Yes, we celebrate our younger siblings aging, and we celebrate getting a new job for these same reasons," James pointed out. "We're sorry if we embarrassed you then," Henri admitted. Sarah began to feel glum and depressed. "What's wrong, Sarah?" I asked my best friend. "I am just thinking about how Benedict would not have gotten the job due to drinking too much alcohol," Sarah stated. "As a matter of fact, I have some negative interviews with both John Paul and Benedict that I would like to show you when we get home!" "Hey, why don't we throw a Halloween party to celebrate?" I asked. "I am sure that there will be trick-or-treaters tomorrow night, since it is Saturday." "Okay," James agreed. "We can even dress up in costumes," Henri stated. "Since I was helping Hannah out with her friends this week, is it okay if they come, too?" I asked. "Sure," Sarah replied. The next day, we were introduced to Hannah and her 8th grade friends Beth, twins Kaitlyn and Colleen, and Ashley, as well as Hannah's 7th grade friends Amelia, Sophia, twins Annabel and Brielle, and Isabella. There were cupcakes and other goodies at the party, but not many trick-or-treaters showed up due to the rain. I dressed up as a medieval princess, Sarah dressed up as a beach babe, James dressed up as a spooky vampire with the mask, and Henri dressed up as the Black Panther. "Hannah is going to be throwing a Forest Friends Fest 2 weeks from today," I explained. "But, she has been nervous so I have been helping her out." "Did something bad happen at your parties, Hannah?" Sarah asked. "Yes, Sarah," Hannah replied. "At the Sweet Swap, I got stomach diabetic disorder, and I was forced to stay in the hospital for a week. Then, at the Stars and Stripes Carnival, Ashley had her ear clogged up from swimming. What if something bad happens at the Forest Friends Fest?" "Parties are not always perfect," Sarah pointed out. "But, we have a paid job working to organize parties," Sarah happily announced. "We found that out yesterday." "Pick your top 3 slumber parties out of these 5 girls' favorites: Amelia's Superhero Party, Sophia's Spooky Sleepover, Brielle's Prankster Party, Annabel's Llamas in Pajamas Party, and Isabella's Day at the Beach Party," I instructed my friends. "I like the Beach Party best," Sarah stated. "I like the Spooky Party best," James stated. "And, I like the Superhero Party best," Henri stated. "The Prankster Party is a little too weird, and the Llamas in Pajamas Party is a little weird, as well," Sarah admitted. "It is also based on our Halloween costumes," Henri stated. After everybody left, Sarah, James, Henri, and I went to bed. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Good night, guys!" "Good night!"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Who to Buy Gifts For

One cool first Saturday of November 2019, my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri met me at my mom's apartment in Highland Park. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. We ate Chinese food for dinner and lemon squares for dessert. "I would like to buy you an extra special gift for your birthday at the end of this month, since you are turning 30 years old and that is a pretty big deal," I told my friend. "Is there anything in particular that you would like?" "Not really," Sarah replied. "That's okay," I replied. "I have a whole month to figure it out." "You have always done a good job picking out gifts for us in the past," James told me. "I can actually remember receiving gifts from you guys than giving them to you." "I remember when you gave us a game set to play with before you left for your high school ski trip," Henri pointed out. "We played with it when you baby-sat us, Sarah, and also at the house party that James threw when he came back from his ski trip." "Is that the card game set you are talking about?" I asked. "I also don't remember playing with it at the house party." "Yes, it is, Angel," Sarah replied. "You probably don't remember playing the card game because you were too busy dancing and having fun," James pointed out. "Can you guys think of some occasions that it is appropriate to give gifts for?" I asked. "Definitely at Christmas, for birthdays, Valentine's Day, and wedding and relationship anniversaries," Sarah replied. "What about Mother's Day, Father's Day, a graduation, or a wedding?" James asked. "Can you think of some occasions in which people give gifts, Henri?" I asked. "Well, Sarah and James stole the words right out of my mouth, so now I can't think of anything," Henri replied. "Let's help Henri out, shall we?" I asked Sarah and James. "Well, Henri, people can give gifts for other occasions, such as baby showers and retirement," James stated. "Let's not forget about house warming and big events in people's life, such as getting a job or leaving a job," Sarah added. "I like to give gifts because it is nice to remember what people want and see a positive reaction on their face," Sarah told us, "but I also like to receive gifts because it is nice that people care about me and remember what I want." "I like to give gifts because I like to make people happy by remembering what they want, and I also like to receive gifts because that shows that people care about me," James added. "I like to give gifts because it shows that I care about other people, as well as receive gifts because it is always nice to have something new from somebody I love and care about," Henri added. "I remember giving you all sorts of great gifts for your birthday parties during the summer, James," I informed my male friend. "I have received some pretty good gifts in the past, Angel," James agreed. "Now, are there rules for who to buy a gift for?" I asked. "Know your audience, and don't buy gifts for someone you don't know," James replied. "Now, what factors help you decide who to buy a gift for?" I asked. "How often you spend time with and your personal relationship with the person, if they treat you well, if they got you a gift, and if you have known them for a while," Sarah replied. "Is it appropriate to buy a gift for someone you _just _met, and do you _have _to buy a gift for someone you have known for a long time?" I asked. "No," Henri replied. We also discussed who is appropriate and who is not appropriate to give gifts to, such as my grandparents, my neighbor, my hairdresser, my boss, my co-worker, my sibling, my second cousin twice removed, someone from a group I attend, my mailman, my sibling's significant other, my friend since 2nd grade, a person I used to be friends with but no longer speak to, and my therapist. Then, we moved on to how much money to spend on gifts. "Are there rules about how much to spend on a gift for someone?" I asked. "Don't spend all of your money," James replied. "Again, what factors determine how much you should spend on a gift for someone?" I asked. "The length of time you've known the person, the occasion, and sticking to the limit if one is set," Sarah replied. "What are some ideas of gifts that cost very little or no money?" I asked. "I don't know, fidget items," Henri replied. "Baked goods, like cookies or brownies," James added. "Volunteering to do something for or with them," Sarah added. "How about teasing and pestering my mom to show her that I love her?" I asked. "Angel, that is inappropriate," Sarah told me. "You should be nice to your mom and show her that you love her in a better way." My cat, Mattie rubbed up against me. "I am still working on being nice to my good chicken tender and ice cream sandwich, and good feline friend," I told everyone as I was petting Mattie. "That's good," Sarah remarked. Then, we figured out how much we would spend on people like my grandparents, my neighbor, my boss, my co-worker, my sibling, someone from a group I attend, my sibling's significant other, and my friend since 2nd grade. "Speaking of gifts, we received an array of some pretty awesome gifts at our going-away party at Creative Citizens Studio yesterday," James told me. "Do you want to see them?" "Absolutely," I replied. "In my array, there is a board game of Scattergories, a _Spider-Man: Far From Home_ DVD, a pair of slippers, a bottle of toothpaste, and a toothbrush," James told us. "In my array, there is a feather boa, a glittery top, a necklace, a hair clip, and a hair brush," Sarah told us. "In my array, there is a coloring book, a few pieces of candy, a Mad Libs book, a pair of fuzzy socks, and a pair of pajamas," Henri told us. "Those are all very great gifts," I remarked. "All three of you should be excited about starting a new chapter in your life!" "We sure are, Angel," James replied. Pretty soon, it was time for my friends to leave. "Thanks for a great evening, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: How to Pick a Good Gift

One chilly first Thursday of November 2019, I met up with my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at Monroeville Mall. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "I still wish that I knew what to get for your birthday, Sarah," I stated. "Well, this mall offers a boat load of choices," James pointed out. "Can I help?" Henri asked. "I'm afraid not, Henri," James stated. "You cannot control yourself when shopping for gifts, so we are unable to trust you." "Guys, I need your help," I whined. "The month is going to fly by fast and before you know it, Sarah's birthday will be here and I will have nothing to give her!" "No fear, Angel," Sarah told me. "We have a lot of experience with picking out gifts." "What experience do you have?" I asked. "We threw you a surprise birthday party at our house to make you happy," Sarah remembered. "And, I took you for a drive around town to make you even happier," James added. "Yes, but how do you guys determine if a specific item is something someone will like?" I asked. "I just ask them, and study their wish lists," James replied. "Just by knowing their interests and making observations," Henri chimed in. "Yes, Henri," Sarah pointed out, "but, you need to know what they do not like, as well as what they need." "Thanks, Sarah," I thanked my best friend. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Now, what types of gifts would you be happy to get?" "I don't know, maybe something that I would use a lot, something related to my hobbies, money, gift cards, experiences, or maybe something that I told you specifically to get me," Sarah replied. "It's okay. You still have 3 weeks left to decide." "You know, Angel," James told me. "When I graduated from Freeport Area High School back in 2006, I really didn't get a fancy gift." "So, what did you get from your dad or somebody else in the family?" I asked. "Some practical stuff, like school supplies, and cash to buy whatever I wanted," James replied. "Just like what you gave Abigail while volunteering to help out with her Paint Party this summer, Sarah," I added. "Well, I do care about other clients and what they need," Sarah pointed out. "However, practical stuff and cash may not always be appropriate." "I also had a wish list, which people do not always have," James told me. "But, how can I find out what you guys want without being obvious?" "Just pay attention to things that can hint at what we might like, such as things we are wearing, places we go, and things we like to do," James suggested. "What's nice is that I had the freedom to buy anything I wanted in addition to tuition for Carnegie Mellon University once I graduated from high school." We then went to Sarah, James, and Henri's apartment in Forest Hills to examine the gifts that they got from Creative Citizens Studio. We saw the message that some of these gifts sent. Sarah showed us her necklace, which was her piece of jewelry, her feather boa, which was very expensive, and her hair clip, which was something that she collected, along with the glittery top. "I think that my bosses treated me with kindness and respect when they bought me all of these awesome gifts," Sarah told me. James showed us his _Spider-Man: Far From Home_ DVD, which was something that he talked about, his toothpaste and toothbrush, which was something that was on his gift list, and his Scattergories board game, which was something that he would have really liked. "My bosses love me for my adventurous and daring, yet responsible personality, so these gifts were basically a reward for all of my hard work," James told me. Henri showed us his coloring book and his Mad Libs book, which were gifts that he never talked about on the job, a few pieces of candy found next to the cash register, and his pair of fuzzy socks. "My bosses do not understand me very well and rarely ever see the hard work that I do, so that is why I didn't get nice presents like James and Sarah did," Henri told me. "So, what I am hearing is that the gifts were given to you based on the level of work and conversation that you used," I concluded. "Do you guys know when is a bad time to give a gift?" "Too early in advance, or too far after the event," Sarah replied. "I really do not want to receive gifts other than around Christmas and my birthday, since they are not too far away from each other." "What about for transferring jobs?" I asked. "That, too," Sarah agreed. "Definitely not in front of other people you did not give a gift to," James added. "Especially since they may get jealous and wonder where their gift is, too." "It also depends on the circumstance, like not at a funeral, since it a sad event," Henri chimed in. "So, what would you like for your 30th birthday this year, Sarah?" I asked. "I would like a nice new winter coat to wear with all of my brand new fashionable clothes," Sarah told me. "Okay then," I agreed. "Do you think that Carly and Alex will get you very special birthday gifts, as well?" "I don't know," Sarah replied. "We'll just have to wait and see." After dinner, we all went to bed. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Good night, guys!" "Good night!"


End file.
